Remember That Game Where Pokémon Have Guns? It’s Coming Very, Very Soon

Have you ever sat there and wondered, “What if someone gave a Pokémon a gun?” Welcome, friends, to the upcoming video game Palworld—part Pokémon, part Minecraft, and part … shooter?

And no, this is not something done with AI generation or some other form of computer trickery. This game asks what if a bunch of real people sat in front of their computers, booted up Unreal Engine, and decided to create an open-world 3D video game where Pokémon-like creatures could shoot each other? What would that look like?

Palworld game is very real, has very many guns, and is very much coming out in just a few days. Luckily, if you already have Xbox Game Pass, you don’t need to pay a cent more to try this fever dream of a video game.

What happens if you give a Pokémon a gun?

For those lucky souls who weren’t on Twitter during 2021, Palworld kicked up a virtual storm after the game was revealed. Users were taken aback by its concept, which featured adorable Pokémon-like anime monsters working in arms factories while humans shot them out in the wild. Some felt the game was too dark; others, too edgy.

But for what it’s worth, Palworld developer Pocketpair’s upcoming video game really captures the Pokémon vibe quite well. The game’s various characters look like real creatures straight from Nintendo’s game, surpassing the “uncanny valley” effect and simply mimicking the series’ style. Seriously, look at this (gun-free) image. At first blush, I thought these were real Pokémon.

Granted, Palworld shows its hand a bit more once a gun enters the picture.

But hey, I’m not complaining! This game is basically trying to be Pokémon-with-guns after all, as every other video game press outlet calls it. Just make sure your kids aren’t playing Palworld; this doesn’t look like a family-friendly substitute for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

OK, seriously, what IS Palworld?

Palworld is a macabre, satirical take on Pokémon. Part open-world survival building game, part genetics simulator, part monster-catching action RPG, and part co-op adventure game, Palworld lets players roam around an enormous world and collect a wide selection of monster creatures called “Pals.”

Players have a significant amount of control over their Pals, which can carry out a wide assortment of tasks. Want them to fight for you? Pals can do that. Want them to build for you? Put your Pals to work constructing your base. You can even have them make food or create weapons for you, if need be. Oh, and if you start going hungry, the game even lets you eat your Pals. Yes, it’s a crapsack world out there, and humans have to look out for themselves before their cuddly monster friends. Sorry!

Pals offer a wide range of skills and abilities, with the game encouraging you to use your Pals to your personal advantage. “They’ll keep working as long as they’re fed,” the game warns, “until they’re dead, that is.” Yikes. Pals seem to love the player unconditionally, with these lovable creatures willing to “protect your life — even if it costs their own.”

Oh, and you can kidnap “endangered Pals” from sanctuaries and sell them for cash. “It’s not a crime if you don’t get caught, after all,” the game’s Steam page notes. Hooray for poaching!

Pals can carry guns, too, and you can even shoot enemy Pals with your own weapons. The game will feature dungeon expeditions and four-player co-op, although the developer says players can have up to 32 players online at once in a dedicated server. “PvP will be implemented in a future update,” Pocketpair writes on the Palworld Steam page. “The maximum number of players playable on the same server will also be increased in a future update.”

This dark, edgy take on Pokémon launches pretty imminently. Early Access begins on Janunary 19, with the game available on Xbox Game Pass for subscribers. Otherwise, you can grab Palworld on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.

(featured image: Pocketpair)